Training & Nutrition - Train upper body by riding a hand cycle? Crazy idea?

I found this http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/1566394852.html on Craigslist. I am a 63 yo who is stronger below the waist than above due to cycling 40-100 miles per week. I also have a torn rotator cuff and some limitation of range of motion in the left shoulder. Has anybody ever heard of riding a hand cycle not due to being disabled but for fitness purposes? I figure a mile or two on it would be as much work as 10-20 on the bike.

Don in Austin

it;s not going to make you noticeably stronger but may help in rehab how recently did your tear your rotator cuff

it;s not going to make you noticeably stronger but may help in rehab how recently did your tear your rotator cuff

I don't know exactly when, but that shoulder has been a mess for a long time. Why do you say it won't build strength? There was a Vietnam vet without the use of his legs used to ride one of these to my shop. He had arms like you wouldn't believe! Not challenging your response, just asking.

Don in Austin

Because you are both pushing and pulling the muscles stay in balance. This is good.
It won't neccesarily replace your rehab. I have minor shoulder problems, and I haven't had good
luck with PTs in recent years, I do my own rehab.

http://www.ehow.com/video_4400192_introduction-shoulder-muscle-physical-therapy.html

If you're trying to stabilize and strengthen your rotator cuff muscles you generally use very light weights and/or elastic bands. The muscles are small and don't need large weights. A hand cycle might build up your biceps and triceps but I don't think it is going to help your shoulder.

I'm in the process of rehabbing injured rotator cuff muscles/tendons now. The exercises I got from the therapist use light weights and specific motions.... none of which are like what you'd use on a hand cycle.

Try going to PT to deal with your shoulder.

I found this http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/1566394852.html on Craigslist. I am a 63 yo who is stronger below the waist than above due to cycling 40-100 miles per week. I also have a torn rotator cuff and some limitation of range of motion in the left shoulder. Has anybody ever heard of riding a hand cycle not due to being disabled but for fitness purposes? I figure a mile or two on it would be as much work as 10-20 on the bike.

Don in Austin

Don, that would be a fantastic buy, especially for rehabilitation as its non impact & the intensity can be varied through gearing. FORGET the weights completely.

The exercise will definately hit your shoulders, no doubt about it & help with upperbody strength endurance, but not so much max strength, but an increase in strength has to come via an increase in intensity. The vet you talk about could probably push a crazy gear for a good amount of time.

swim?

I found this http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/1566394852.html on Craigslist. I am a 63 yo who is stronger below the waist than above due to cycling 40-100 miles per week. I also have a torn rotator cuff and some limitation of range of motion in the left shoulder. Has anybody ever heard of riding a hand cycle not due to being disabled but for fitness purposes? I figure a mile or two on it would be as much work as 10-20 on the bike.

Don in Austin

How long have you had the rotator cuff injury?" What kind of limitation do you have to your ROM in the left shoulder? It's really hard to comment when we don't have the basic information. Who told you that you had this rotator cuff injury? What did they give you for rehab? How long did you rehab?

It's hard to comment about the bike without truly knowing what kind of injury you have/don't have. I can say that arm ergometers/hand trikes are fantastic machines that will build up your upper body AND give you a fantastic cardiovascular workout. If you're working hard enough and regularly enough with one, it will increase your VO2 max significantly. I can't do more than a few minutes on an arm ergometer myself, and I consider myself to be very strong in the upper body. I also met this guy who was paralyzed from the waist down when I was in Italy. He was a spinning instructor like me. He rebuilt the spin bike so that he used the pedals so that he could pedal with his arms. He was very inspiring, completely cut, and sexy as hell. Every chick in the joint was panting over him, including me. He was IN SHAPE! I could not take my eyes off him!

Get that trike! It's a steal for what they're offering!

koffee

How long have you had the rotator cuff injury?" What kind of limitation do you have to your ROM in the left shoulder? It's really hard to comment when we don't have the basic information. Who told you that you had this rotator cuff injury? What did they give you for rehab? How long did you rehab?

It's hard to comment about the bike without truly knowing what kind of injury you have/don't have. I can say that arm ergometers/hand trikes are fantastic machines that will build up your upper body AND give you a fantastic cardiovascular workout. If you're working hard enough and regularly enough with one, it will increase your VO2 max significantly. I can't do more than a few minutes on an arm ergometer myself, and I consider myself to be very strong in the upper body. I also met this guy who was paralyzed from the waist down when I was in Italy. He was a spinning instructor like me. He rebuilt the spin bike so that he used the pedals so that he could pedal with his arms. He was very inspiring, completely cut, and sexy as hell. Every chick in the joint was panting over him, including me. He was IN SHAPE! I could not take my eyes off him!

Get that trike! It's a steal for what they're offering!

koffee

I have had the rotator cuff injury for years. I think it goes back to a drunken car accident in 1974, but i am not sure. On the same side I broke my collar bone about 20 years ago and when it healed the ends did not meet up properly and I have a fibrous union. I saw a really good orthopedic surgeon about the shoulder -- the one who did a fabulous job on my knee about 8 years ago -- and he advised against surgery for the shoulder and I did a little PT at his office. For the last year and a half I have been on a born-again fitness kick with lots of cycling and three days a week at the gym -- one day with a trainer. My upper body is getting stronger, my shoulder bothers me less, but my lower body is well ahead of the upper with all the biking I am doing. Mostly its hard to do stuff overhead with the left arm.

I went and looked at the trike and it seems way too small for me. The crank handles hit my knees. We moved the seat back way beyond where it is intended but that looked like it put almost all the weight on the rear wheels which would surely cause a problem climbing. I don't know if I am up to extensively modding it to make it fit me.

Don in Austin

Uuugh. It could be that you've got some kind of impingement issue- and I wouldn't know if it was from doing the action or from a preexisting condition from the accident or from the rotator cuff injury. My main concern is that something from years ago shouldn't be reoccurring. Something went wrong during your physical therapy. Done correctly, with good follow up and with an exercise adjustment that incorporates those exercises, you shouldn't have rotator cuff issues still. I could see pain resulting from a fibrous union.... but since I don't know you, I can't make any assumptions. It may be time for you to find a real physical therapist in the area that's not an orthopedic surgon- maybe find a good personal trainer who is certified through CSCS or who is also a physical therapist. Some physical therapy offices have trainers on staff who aren't physical therapists but really know their stuff. Some physical therapist have trainers on staff who are also physical therapists. You may have to search around before you find someone that can help you.

Too bad about the bike. Bummer.

koffee

Hey Don, Did you eventually purchase the hand cycle or something else?.

Hey Don, Did you eventually purchase the hand cycle or something else?.

I did not. It was pretty messed up and it was also way too small.

I did not. It was pretty messed up and it was also way too small.

I can't recommend hand cycling highly enough. Its one of my staple exercises & that is saying something.

Something I recommend that could be used indoors is using something similar to the stationary exercise bike in the picture below, can't be no more than $150. You sit (behind) the bike, on the floor, remove the seat, remove the toe clips from the pedals, left with just the pedals, purchase a pair of weightlifting gloves & for extra comfort just wrap a sock around each of the pedals & away you go, in the comfort of your own home watching TV or listening to music.

Brilliant exercise for upperbody, upperbody rehabilitation, shoulders, arms, forearms, triceps, cardio, increasing VO2.


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41E7ZBHSHAL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Or...

http://www.abledata.com/product_images/images/03A0603.jpg